Automatic stop mechanism.



v Patented Dec. l8, I900. C. F. VAN IJ YKE. AUTOMATIGSTUP MECHANISM.

(Application fil ed Sept, 25, 1900.

(No Model.)

2 Shanta-Sheet l,

amount amines/dea 1 v Patented Dec. l8, I900.

c. F. VAN DY KE.

" AUTOIlAf-lfi foP 'mEca-Angsm.

{Applicatipn filed Sept. 26, 1900.)

'2 Shoots-Sheet 2.

{No.Modal.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

CHARLES F. VAN A'IOHISON, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE MOSS, OF SAME PLACE.

AUTOMATIC S'TOP MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 664,068, dated December 18, 1 0 Application filed September 26,1900. smart. 31,196. (No model.)

To all whmn it may concert 1 Be it known that 1, CHARLES F.VAN DYKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atchison, in the county of Atchison and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Automatic Stop Mechanism for Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic stop mechanism, and has special reference to apparatus of this character designed for use in connection with engines or similar machinery to provide positive and effective means for automatically cutting off the motive supply thereof to secure an immediate stoppage of the engine when desired.

To this end the invention primarily has in View an automatic stop mechanism possessing special utility in connection with steamengines, and comprising means whereby in different parts of the same building the supply of steam for the engine can be immediately cut off to secure a stoppage of the machinery whenever required in case of accident to employees, breakage of the machinery, or for any other cause.

With these and other objects in View, which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated, and claimed;

The preferred embodiment of the improvements is shown in the accompanying draw ings, in which Figure 1 is a general view in elevation, illustrating the stop mechanism in its normal inactive position and associated with the throttle-valve of an ordinary steam-engine. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the different elements of the mechanism released to provide for the actuation of the throttle-valve.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts-in both figures of the drawings.

In carrying out the invention the mechanism which directly cooperates with the engine may be arranged in any suitable place, either in the boiler or engine room, while the set-off device or devices are designed to be arranged in difierent parts of the building, whereby the mechanism may be conveniently set 0% from difierent points.

The element of the stop mechanism which directly cooperates with the engine to effect an automatic cutting off of the steam-supply is the controlling-cable 1, which is-of a sufficient length to extend from the point Where the mechanism is located to the throttle of the engine, the said cable 1 being arranged to pass over suitably-located guide-pulleys 2, which are preferably supported in an elevated position and are spaced a sufficient distance apart to permit the intermediate portion of the controlling-cable to slacken and become taut in the operation of the mechanism. controlling-cable 1,' between the elevated guide-pulleys thereof, preferably has loosely connected therewith a pendent take-up weight or counterbalance 3, which serves to take up the ordinary slack in the cable and maintain the same in a proper working. condition. One

'end of the cable 1 is attached to and is designed to wind and unwind upon a cablespool 4, fitted to the throttlealve stem 5., which is associated with the steam-supply pipe 6 from an ordinary engine 7, and the end portion of the cable, opposite its connection with the cable-spool 4, is attached, as at- ,8, to the upper end of a vertically-movable stem 9, which carries at its lower end an actuating-weight 10, which is sufficiently heavy when released to tighten up and draw upon the cable and unwind the same upon the spool 4 to effect aturning of the throttle-valve stem, and thereby close the valve. The said vertically-movable actuating-weight 10 is preferably arranged to Work within a guide-frame 13 and slidably engages a pair of parallel guides or guide-rods 14E of a sufiicient length to accommodate the full movement of the weight. The said weight is normally sustained and held in its elevated inactive position through the medium of a pivotal holding-arm 15. This holding-arm is pivoted intermediate its ends, as at 16, to a fixed point of support and is provided at one end with a supporting-lip 17, adapted to engage beneath the weight 10. The portion of the holdingarm carrying the lip 17 is adapted to be nor- The said intermediate portion of the.

mally drawn in a direction, by a rectractile spring 18, for moving the lip 17 out of engagement with and away from the path of the weight 10.

The holding-arm is arranged to play between spaced stops 19, which restrict the same to a working plane, and the end of the arm opposite the lip 17 is adapted to be engaged by a catch-hook 20 at one end of the pivotal latch 21, mounted upon a pivot 22 and arranged to play between spaced stops 23. The hook end 20 ot' the latch 211s normally drawn in one direction through the medium of the retractile spring 24, and the opposite end of said latch is adapted to engage with a catch shoulder or notch 25, formed in one end of a bell-crank trip-lever 26. This trip-lever is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends, as at 27, plays between a pair of spaced stops 28, and is normally drawn in one direction under the influence of a retractile spring 29. The lever 26 is provided at one extremity thereof with an offset release-arm 30, adapted to be engaged by the Vibrating hammer 31 of an electrical alarm-bell 32, which electrical alarm-bell is included in an electrical circuit a b. This electrical circuit also includes a battery or other source of electrical energy 33 and a plurality of set-off devices 34, preferably in the form of the ordinary push-button circuit-closer and arranged in different parts of the building.

There is associated with the elements already described a release-weight 35, working upon a guide or guides 36 within the frame 13 and suspended from one end of an auxiliary cable member 37, the opposite end of which cable member connects at the point 8 with the vertically-movable weight-carrying stem 9. The auxiliary cable member 37 passes over elevated spaced guide-pulleys 38 and accommodates thereon upon said pulleys the loosely-hanging slack-take-up weight 39, subserving the same function in connection with the cable member 37 as the weight 33 in connection with the main controlling-cable 1.

The release-weight is normally heldin its elevated inactive position through the medium of a pivotal holding-arm 40, carrying at one end a supporting-lip 41, adapted to engage beneath the weight 35 and normally drawn in one direction through the medium of a retractile spring 42, said arm 40 being also confined to work between spaced stops 43. The end of the arm 40 opposite the lip 41 is adapted to be engaged by the catch-hook 44 at one end of the pivotal trip-latch 45, playing between the stops 46 and normally drawn in one direction by the retractile spring 47. The said trip-latch is provided with a deflected arm portion 48, which is normally held within the plane of the guides for the weight 10, so as to be struck or engaged by the said weight upon the descent thereof.

Assuming the cable to be properly wound upon the spool 4 and the parts of the mechanism in the positionsshown in Fig. 1, in the eventofanyaccident occurring within abuilding equipped with the apparatus it is simply necessary for a person to press the most convenient push-button or set-0E device 34, which closes the circuit a b and energizes the electrical alarm 32, whereupon the hammer 31, which normally engages with the trip-lever 26 and holds it interlocked with the latch 21, is vibrated and simultaneously sounds the alarm and releases the lever 26, so that the spring 29 thereof will draw the same out of engagement with one end of the latch 21. Upon the latch 21 being thus released the spring 24 thereof draws the hook 20 out of engagement with one end of the holding-arm 15, so that the spring 18 may draw the arm 15 out of the path of the weight 10. The said Weight is then free to fall, and in so doing draws upon the cable 1 and turns the throttle-valve to a closed position, thus cutting 01f the steam-supply and immediately stopping the engine. As the weight 10 descends the same in the lower extreme of its movement engages the deflected arm 48 of the trip-latch 45, thereby disengaging the said latch from the holding-arm 40, so as to automatically release the weight 35 and permit the same to fall. As the said release-weight 35 falls the auxiliary cable member 37 is tightened and, drawing upon the weight-stem 9, serves to automatically re'e'levate the weight 10, thus immediately slackening up the main controlling-cable 1, so that the engineer can manually operate the throttle with freedom, so as to prevent the engine from stopping on the center or starting the same again at once without interfering in any way with the stop mechanism. Also the release-Weight 35 serves to cushion the fall of the weight 10.

From the foregoing it will be understood by those familiar with the art that the stop mechanism may be associated with any form of engine or motor in which the controllingcable may be utilized in a similar manner to that described, and it will be understood that various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. An automatic stop mechanism comprising a controlling-cable having an operative connection with the cut-01f of an engine or similar machine, an actuator fordrawing the cable in one direction, holding means for normally retaining the actuator in an inactive position, an electrical releasing device for said holding means, and separate means for slackening the controlling-cable by automatically relieving the same from the drag of the actuator therefor, substantially as set forth.

2. An automatic stop mechanism comprising a controlling-cable having an operative connection with the cut-off of an engine or IIO similar machine, an actuator for drawing the cable in one direction, holding means for normally retaining the actuator in an inactive position, an electrical releasing device for said holding means, and separate means, set in action solely by the movement of said actuator, for automatically slackening the controlling-cable by relieving the same from the drag or pull of the actuator, substantially as set forth.

3. A stop mechanism comprising a controlling-cable having an operative connection with the cut-off of an engine or similar device, an actuatingweight connected with said cable and arranged to move the same in one direction, holding means to hold said weight normally in an inactive position, a releasing device for said holding means, an auxiliary cable member having a connection with said actuating-weight, a separate-releaseweight carried by the auxiliary cable memher, and a release device for said releaseweight, substantially as set forth.

4. An automatic stop mechanism for engines comprising a controlling-cable having an operative connection with the throttle of the engine, an actuating-weight suspended from said cable, a spring-retracted holdingarm arranged to engage the actuating-weight and hold it in an inactive position, a springretracted latch arranged to engage with said holding-arm, a spring-retracted trip-lever arranged to engage with said latch, and a combined electrical alarm and releasing device operatively related to said trip-lever, substantially as set forth.

5. An automatic stop mechanism for engines comprising a controlling-cable operatively connected at one end with the throttlevalve, a vertically-movable actuating-weight suspended from said cable, a take-up weight arranged on an intermediate portion of the having an operative connection with the throttle-valve, an actnatingweight suspended from the main controlling-cable, a system of interlocking spring-retracted levers cooperating with the actuating-weight to'normally hold it in an inactive position, an electrical release device associated with said system of interlocking levers, an auxiliary cable member carrying a release-weight and connected with said actuating-Weight, a spring-retracted holding-arm arranged to engage with the release-weight, and a springretracted trip-latch cooperating with said holding-arm and arranged to project into the path of said actuating-weight, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' CHARLES F. VAN DYKE.

Witnesses:

E. MATTOCKS, P. W. TYNSON. 

